Nottingham, United Kingdom
A UK based fashion student has designed a knitwear range made from objects found at the beach. Harriet Harrison, 26, a final year Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles student at Nottingham Trent University, created a collection from litter found on the Kent coast.
The young designer says her project named ‘Sense of Place’ is inspired by her home in Margate. Harriet, who is studying at the Nottingham School of Art & Design, created a crochet top and a tote bag made from recycled plastic from the beach, as part of her collection.
Another piece is a translucent modular padded garment with pockets filled with litter and found objects from the coast. “The coast has been very important to me, it’s like an anchor to my life,” Harriet commented. “And I wanted to create a concept on the issue surrounding man-made waste found on the beach and in the sea.”
“During my walks on the coast, I started collecting litter and discarded materials which I have integrated into my final year work to give the discarded materials a second life or purpose.”
“I coloured the plastic bags and cut them in stripes to mimic yarn and crocheted them together to make the top.”
“I have used predominantly plastics and bottle tops which I’ve washed, painted and embellished.”
“Throughout my project I want to show the physical and emotional journey one embarks on. My project seeks to convey the solitary emotional journey you embark on whilst travelling through the terrain, conveying both the stillness and the chaos, explored through my use of material experimentation and textiles.”
Harriet intends to work for a sustainable slow fashion brand after graduating from university. Her work featured in Nottingham Trent University’s art and design Student Showcase which saw graduating artists and designers displaying their work as part of a public exhibition. Other subject areas on show include Fashion Design, Architecture, Decorative Arts Product Design.
Helen Hill, course leader for Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles at Nottingham Trent University, said: “The design community is increasingly keen on making designs kinder to their planet. Harriet has taken her personal life experience with her hometown in Kent and combined it with sustainability and modern fashion.”
“Her project inculcates both eco-friendly and emotional elements and is a fresh approach to fashion knitwear.”
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